Trump Signs Executive Order to Fast-Track Psychedelic Drug Research for Mental Health Treatment

This could be the beginning of the end for the drug war—not with a dramatic flourish, but with an executive order signed by a president who may be the least psychedelic occupant of the Oval Office in history, even compared to famously reserved leaders like Millard Fillmore and Calvin Coolidge.

In recent weeks, Donald Trump has clashed with figures ranging from the Pope to Iran’s ayatollah. Last year, he released an animated video depicting himself in a fighter plane dropping feces on "No Kings" protesters. If there’s an American over 30 who has never listened to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in full, it’s likely Trump. Yet on Saturday, he stood alongside a group that included:

• A high-profile podcast host known for on-air cannabis use (Joe Rogan)
• An ibogaine evangelist (Bryan Hubbard)
• A Cabinet member who has publicly discussed snorting cocaine (Robert F. Kennedy Jr.)

The president signed "Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness," an executive order aimed at fast-tracking research and drug approvals for psychedelics that could address America’s mental health crisis. The order prioritizes "psychedelic drugs, including ibogaine compounds," for patients whose conditions persist after standard therapies.

Ibogaine, often called the "Mount Everest of psychedelics" due to its intense effects and potential to reverse brain damage, is now being championed by a president who famously consumes only Diet Coke. The signing ceremony highlighted how drug policy reform blends pop culture influence with rigorous policy work.

Trump credited Rogan for bringing psychedelics to his attention, while Kennedy wrote on Instagram:

"Thank you, [Joe Rogan] for helping bring national attention to these potentially life-saving treatments for veterans and others living with mental illness, and for pushing this conversation into the mainstream."

Rogan has long used his influential podcast to promote psychedelics and unconventional therapies, supplements, and self-experimentation protocols. Without his platform, Saturday’s signing may never have occurred. Rogan embodies a philosophy of "better living through chemistry," advocating for personalized drug regimens, exercise, and lifestyle design.

In a 2023 interview with Reason Senior Producer Zach Weissmueller, Kennedy—then a presidential candidate—stated he would "definitely decriminalize psychedelics" if elected, citing their promise in treating addiction and mental health disorders. Kennedy, a former heroin addict, has long advocated for psychedelic therapies as part of broader drug policy reform.